So, this is a "rescued" NOID Dendrobium. It bloomed for the first time (for me at least) last Fall. Since that time it has done really well, or so I thought. For the last couple of weeks, the oldest cane's leaves have been yellowing, dying, and I've been cutting them off. A couple days ago I noticed these...They look to me like new canes growing off of, near the top of, the cane that's losing leaves.

Having never grown these before, I'm wondering if this is normal? A common occurrence? Should I be concerned?
Of the two remaining leaves of this cane, one, as you can see, is also yellowing/dying.


Any suggestions for a plan of action?
In this last picture, the cane in question is the "scrawny" looking thin one on the left.



Help?

Tara it looks to me like your den is making keiki's (babies), and a new cane down at the pot level, and maybe another keiki on that little cane down low too.

My plan of action would be to do nothing out of the ordinary and just watch them grow! No help needed, you're doing GOOD!

Agree with Patty, those are keikis, just leave it be for now, wait for the roots to form, free plants galore!

It wants to live!!

Talk about a newbie to orchids! The only ones I've heard of making keikis are the Phals... How embarrassing that I couldn't have seen that.

Well, it is exciting! So tell me...Once these have developed roots, and are "surgically" removed from the cane...Can/should said cane be removed/cut down? Am I correct in assuming that the old cane will serve no further purpose?

Nope, if mommy plant still lives, it will just continue on. Sometimes it may also attempt basal keikis, ones growing near media level.

It is easy to remove those keikis growing above later on, just a slight quick twist, no surgery needed at all. Sometimes they say the orchid is in some stress so it makes keikis. I just see it as free plants identical to its mommy.

I like to leave the keiki's alone as long as possible...the more and longer the roots are, the better. I've also been told numerous times that dens especially do better if planted with the mother plant.
When I separate keiki's from a den. I leave it attached to the cane it's sprouting from and plant or mount that cane. I may have an example of that....yup, you should be able to see what I mean on this mounting....I wrapped on sections of the old canes with the keiki's growing on them. (these are two types of Aussie den's.----the kind that goes dormant in fall and shouldn't be watered till after it blooms in spring---or it makes keiki's instead of blooms!)



I would just leave em alone for a good long while! Congrats!!

For clarity...the parts that have the green tie-wraps on them are the 'mother' canes the keiki's are still attached to.

for that Patty. It's given me a great idea, because I have a beautiful piece of driftwood that is just aching for something to be mounted to it! This just might be the thing! It looks like I've got plenty of time though to think and plan for it. Great idea!

You're most welcome!